Rafael Nadal: Playing Paris Could “Danger” London, Start of 2011 [Video]

Congratulations on doing an excellent job of dishonorably questioning Nadal’s integrity in this article by spinning your words in such a way as to make him look like he is faking this injury or something. There is nothing “odd” or “strange” about the fact that his tendinitis (or something else) could prevent him from playing WTF.

November 8th, 2010 at 3:23 pm

Obviously he is not faking. He occasionally needs to pull out of Tourneys to accomodate his steroid cycling.

November 8th, 2010 at 5:07 pm

U c conty, this is why Fedend goes ballistic!

November 8th, 2010 at 5:20 pm

Nadal pulling out of Paris makes perfect sense in about 1000 different ways you can look at it. Besides the long season he’s had, he also played 3 straight tournaments in the Asian swing. No doubt he’s mentally exhausted after all of his efforts this year. That he managed 3 more tournaments after the USO so fast is amazing enough.

But, shoulder tendinitis that heals in 6 days? Say you’re fatigued or having some injury, but tendinitis? In the shoulder? That’s going to take a perfectly convenient 6 days to heal? I don’t buy it.

November 8th, 2010 at 5:31 pm

Nadal, as everyone knows, has a very expensive play style. Both in physical and mental ways.
Like Ben says, this is a clever move. Last year he asked too much from his body in the beginning of the season and he was forced out of the tour for two slams.
Even if he is ‘only’ 24, he needs to be careful if he wants to play his best tennis for the next three of four years.
So, nothing strange about it: it is a little strange to say but Nadal is getting older. :)

November 8th, 2010 at 6:26 pm

I don’t know why all the whining, this is nothing new from Rafa’s camp, he’s proven he is prone to injury, so?

As a tennis fan I hope he doesn’t play anymore tennis this year if he is injury prone, why?

No need , #1 ye ranking secured,and get prepared for a historical possible AO 2011!

November 8th, 2010 at 6:32 pm

what margot? i do not get the connection. this is very bad news about nadal missing paris and perhaps missing london. but only a mental midget would go take it out on fed fans, go on a troll rampage with a slur as a pseudo to intentionally provoke.

no, this isn’t federer’s fault or the fault of any federer fans.

but an annoying twit would make it a reason to go kick a “fedtard.”

i hope rafa can get as effective treatment on his shoulder as he has received for his knees. he’s listening to his doctor and his body, which is good.

oh! i now read what you are refering to, i think. you mean the steroid comment above. well… go after that person in particular don’t apply to me to defend deadend. it won’t happen. .

this whole thing is a vicious cycle. the presence of fedend makes me tolerant and even open to a balance of similarly negative extremists – or the board is lopsided like tennistalk. but i know you aren’t fond of federer and lean toward the anti feds.

however, you don’t go off like a “nutter.” and i try not to. but i will never appreciate anti feds like you do. i am too sensitive to the presence of those who bash my all-time favorite player. when anti-feds are around, i bristle. nothing would make me actually defend an anti-fed provocateur like fedend. i’ve read too much that hurts from that poster. and as long as posters are around that do defend anti feds, i dont jump to censure their equal in an anti nadal poster.

all that being said, tit for tat is a game best saved for the sand box. and i wish the tit for tat game wasn’t brought to a tennis forum at all.

the fed bashing and nadal bashing, tit for tat “tard” exchanges are really old. the whole thing could go away and i’d be very happy. but it doesn’t.

what “naydal” is saying is unfounded and tactless. but if you read tom gainey’s thread with the pictures of federer’s innocent little girls today, you can read an offensive poster there calling the babies ugly and in all caps. disgusting really, all of it.
_____________________

on a much more friendly note, margot, i wish you would join tennisxfans group on the atp site. your tootyfrooty bracket is needed there! please? i enjoy your posts very much.

jane was wondering where you were and i did a search and found you. there’s a comment thread for the group that’s fun. it is not too saccharine i don’t think, but it is not littered with anti feds or anti rafa slander. just tennis fans.

November 8th, 2010 at 6:52 pm

I honestly wish that people would stop bringing up tennistalk, especially in this continuous negative way by comparing it to this site and findind it somehow inferior.

It’s interesting that it comes from people who used to post on the site, but bumped up against the more strict moderating that tennistalk employs to rid it of the abusive, profane and repulsive comments that have no business on a tennis forum.

There are people who post on both sites and it’s insulting to those who wish to participate on tennistalk to keep going on with this ridiculous propaganda about how inferior or biased or skewed that forum may be.

Look at tennis-x! The Fed fans have the clear and overwhelming majority and have not been shy about using it in the past to vindictively chase Rafa fans off this site. That’s why you don’t see many of us posting here on a regular basis. But now that Fedend has decided to give them some of their own back, suddenly it’s appalling a crisis of mammoth proportions.

It’s especially galling to hear it from some people who abused the privilege of posting on tennistalk and paid the price. So they came here, where they could find comfort and strength in greater numbers. It’s easy to bully Rafa fans when you have a bunch of people to back you up, isn’t it!

November 8th, 2010 at 7:12 pm

mindy,

i am only stating the facts of tennistalk. the lead journos who also are the adminitrators are biased toward anti fed posters and do not moderate that site with any sort of balance

and for you information, i was never banned from that site. i choose not to post there as there is no point.

margot was appealing to me about fedend and i dearly hope this doesn’t turn into tennistalk.

November 8th, 2010 at 7:30 pm

s/b biased in favor of anti fed posters.

the end. happy to drop it.

i wish only the best for rafa.

November 8th, 2010 at 7:32 pm

Maybe it’s because I don’t post on tennistalk but skim through it sometimes, but I really never see any pro-Federer people over there. Here you have a decent-sized group of pro-Nadal fans. And I don’t even think that there are more posters who are pro-Federer, they’re just more, in the nicest way I can say this, more vocal. But a huge difference between the two sites is, quite obviously, the writers here are pro-Fed and the writers there are pro-Nadal.

“Look at tennis-x! The Fed fans have the clear and overwhelming majority and have not been shy about using it in the past to vindictively chase Rafa fans off this site. That’s why you don’t see many of us posting here on a regular basis. But now that Fedend has decided to give them some of their own back, suddenly it’s appalling a crisis of mammoth proportions.”

Couldn’t agree more (with the inherent hypocrisy that Mindy’s pointing out, that is).

November 8th, 2010 at 7:45 pm

Let’s use common sense.
1. The popular myth is that Nadal is unbeatable as long as he is injury-free. Whenever Nadal loses, the default excuse is his injuries. If he loses early in London, the media will point to this shoulder injury, real or phantom.
2. Nadal seems to be injury prone because of his playing style, claims to be injured relatively often, and openly publicizes his injuries.
3. To reduce the injurioes, he is championing to shorten the ATP Calendat. He wants to reduce the amount of ATP tennis he is playing.
4. In September, Nadal’s knee doctor warned that Nadal’s knees could degenerate or he could get fresh injuries unless he puts less stress on his body.
5. After US Open, Nadal had enough points to finish the year as No. 1. He did not play another match this year.
6. Despite all of the above, the experienced Nadal, Uncle Toni and his veteran team voluntarily decided that Nadal should should play more tennis. Nadal chose to play three tournaments back-to-back in Asia over three weeks from late September to early October. Nadal chose two tournaments (Bangkok and Tokyo) that were not required events, unlike Paris or Shanghai.
7. Nadal was probably motivated to play Asia by lucrative appearance fees. Money probably also motivated him to play in another non-required event — the Abu Dhabi exhibition — at the start of 2011.
8. If Nadal was really mentally and physically exhausted, he would have skipped Bangkok and Tokyo. So far he has played only 76 matches, far less than Federer’s 96 matches in 2006 or what some top players played in past years.
9. On the surface, it seems we should cheer Nadal for skipping a required ATP Masters 1000 tournament to rest his body for London and teh Australian Open. after all, a Rafa Slam or another Federer-Nadal final would be good for tennis.
10. Yet why should care to worry about Nadal’s body if he himself does not? This is the same Nadal who voluntarily chose to put himself at risk of injury. He expects empathy about his injuries yet irresponsibly puts unecessary stress on his body by choosing to play non-mandatory events in Asia?
11. It is like a drug addict who tells you he needs time to rehab himself next week, yet planned to do drugs one month ago and plans to do drugs in two months time.
12. And yes, it does sound dubious that Nadal’s shoulder injury would conveniently heal in time for him to practice and play in London. Has an ATP doctor independently verified his injury?

November 8th, 2010 at 7:58 pm

Ok can someone senior answer me this….do peoples posts really get deleted. I’ve never noticed a post get deleted since vie been posting.

And whats the scoop on tennis talk. I browsed it but didn’t seem to have real conversation more just people cheering for their faves. Do most people here post on multiple sites or just post here. Who runs this site. Is Sean Randall a real writer or just a person who writes on this site, like Ben I think, is a student who writes? Are these questions inappropriate. Sorry. If I seem ignorant just curious.

November 8th, 2010 at 8:06 pm

Here’s hoping Nadal is well soon; imo, he is a fun player to watch, love his competitive spirit, his forehand, his movement. He doesn’t glide like Roger, but he’s so speedy! Although, admittedly, I dislike the fact that he often beats my faves Murray and Nole! :/ But what are you going to do? He’s number 1 for a reason.

November 8th, 2010 at 8:07 pm

Kimberly, I don’t know about where other people post but I’m sure this isn’t the only tennis site they visit. I’ve got a whole folder of tennis bookmarks that I visit regularly.

Luke Johnson and Richard Vach run this site. And I simply don’t know the answer to you’re question regarding Sean.

From what I can see the posts are ran through some sort of filter. I know spam posts and erroneous links are blocked. I’m not sure about already published posts getting deleted though. I don’t know if I’ve seen that.

November 8th, 2010 at 8:35 pm

Ben, do yup share your wisdom at all places you visit ornjust here. I hope that crazy steroid site is not one of your regulars but I fear it is. Let me know how thatnguy is doing with his offer of reward money for hair of nadal, stosur, Serena, monfils and verdasco.

November 8th, 2010 at 8:43 pm

“only a mental midget would go take it out on fed fans, go on a troll rampage with a slur as a pseudo to intentionally provoke.”

Slam dunk !!! :-)

November 8th, 2010 at 9:01 pm

This site is mostly fed fans with a minority of rafa fans, a handful of novak fans, a smaller handful of Murray fans, one roddick fan, and two gulbis fans both of whom are ready to dump him.

November 8th, 2010 at 9:03 pm

“I’m not sure about already published posts getting deleted though. I don’t know if I’ve seen that.”(Ben)

I have. And only a month or so ago, too. Why not? If I get thrown out of a pub (as i have been,more than once), it’s bloody annoying, and one naturally harbours deep, brooding thoughts of revenge – but on the other hand, it’s their pub, and if they don’t like me, tough titties for me. I think the same is true of a site. We’re only here on suffrance, really.

After all, nothing to stop us creating our own sites. Apart from the fact that it would be a huge bore and in any case I for one wouldn’t have the remotest idea how to do it. But that’s beside the point.

November 8th, 2010 at 9:11 pm

I recently got thrown out of an organic grocery store when my three year old crashed the cart deliberately into about fifty bottles of designer olive oil….they asked us not to come back until we learn how to behave. I wonder if they can do that on tennisx.

November 8th, 2010 at 9:35 pm

i got shall we say um…i drank too many mimosas kimberly. in fact forget the oj, i was pulling straight from the champagne bottle by the middle of wimbledon 09 final….could not watch roddick lose to federer. and after the match i logged onto TT and let a rafa fan have it in the language of a dock worker. my bad. what i said made no sense anyway. actually i said i was sorry directly after and all was well with that rafa fan. but others have longer memories, shall we say.

the myth is that i was banned for the episode. but the truth is i took myself off posting for a month. during that time the rumors flew that i was kicked off. but i never received any such penalty, not even a warning. i still get the tennistalk letter to my email and i could post any time i want. but i do not want. i don’t post on rafa nadal’s fan site either.

i had never sworn on the site before or after. but once a reputation is started…..

the fact is i was not popular there anyway. i was a federer fan and argued for federer. also i was vocal in complaining about the hypocrisy there. the lead journos didn’t like me and i didn’t like them. and i wasn’t the only one targeted. by last winter there weren’t many fed fans left there at all.

now i see the number of posters on the threads are even further down except for rafa blog’s or a blog to dis federer. but it’s very peaceful for the most part there if you are a rafa fan or anti federer fan. so some of the posters from there come here. which is great. but the hypocrisy with which they accuse this site of having? well, that hypocrisy is on TT as well. just directed at fed fans.

lets all play together in the sandbox nicely. hm?

November 8th, 2010 at 9:43 pm

Preemptive excuse-making. If he wins he’s a hero for his adversity in fighting through pain. If he loses he blames it on injuries and everyone has to cluck their tongues and pity him for his sufferings.

Nadal often uses such dog-ate-my-homework excuses. Actually it’s more like if the student were to say to a teacher, “I may or may not turn in my book report next week. If I don’t, I want you to know that it was because the dog ate it. If I do, it’s because I had to chase down the dog to keep him from eating my report and I should get extra credit for that.”

I don’t know any teacher who would swallow that, or say that the student deserved pity for his situation.

Either play or don’t play. Make a decision, stick by it, and take responsibility for the consequences. If he plays while injured and aggravates his problems, that’s a foolish decision and it’s his own fault for making it. It’s not like the guy can’t afford the best medical care in the world, he can certainly make informed decisions.

November 8th, 2010 at 9:43 pm

Contador….still laughing from your story. We all gave our moments. You should have heard what I told the manager of the grocery store after he insulted my sweet child.

Steveo, rafa doesn’t need to make excuses if he wins or loses. He’s the undisputed number one. No one is unbeatable. Personally I can see after the kick ass year he had how he could want a physical and mental break as he will face an enormous amount of pressure the entire 2011. How do you not see this? No player in recent history has faced the ores sure to perform he will as the favorite on every single surface. He is expected to win every single match he contests in the entire clay court season. Sonhe wants a little rest from that ores sure at the end of a grow d breaking year. And thats the dog ate my homework?

November 8th, 2010 at 9:56 pm

Sorry for my typing, my adjustment to iPad is taking longer than expected.

Vamos rafa!

November 8th, 2010 at 10:03 pm

Contador & Kimberly

Lol on both your posts. Nice read :)

November 8th, 2010 at 10:08 pm

i was laughing at the visual of a 3 yr old in an organic grocery store- yes there is one in ketchum- just one, and i know how expensive designer olive oil is!

November 8th, 2010 at 10:09 pm

I’m still laughing at DRs pub tossing!

November 8th, 2010 at 10:20 pm

and still giggling at this from dimwitted recluse…..

“I have. And only a month or so ago, too. Why not? If I get thrown out of a pub (as i have been,more than once), it’s bloody annoying, and one naturally harbours deep, brooding thoughts of revenge – but on the other hand, it’s their pub, and if they don’t like me, tough titties for me. I think the same is true of a site. We’re only here on suffrance, really.”

LOL….

November 8th, 2010 at 10:22 pm

I was thrown out of high school Algebra class because I called my teacher, who had a short-guy complex, not to mention a wicked comb-over, that he was a bully. I got back in and eventually finished with a 98%. The best revenge.

As for tennistalk, I have looked at it occasionally for match previews and the like. i thought Dimon is a Fed supporter? It seems like he likes Fed. I ‘ve also looked at a site called Tennis Planet for pictures; it’s the best site I know for tennis photos. I read the funny articles there sometimes too, and it seems it’s Fedcentric and eccentric. Anyhow, I post here; I like it best. For whatever reason? Lots of intelligent folks, with a wide variety of styles and personalities.

Plus, tennis x has a variety of writers, with the historically inclined Dan Martin, predictor extraordiare, Sean, Ben, who hasn’t written lately, Tom, & his video posts, Jeremy, a newer writer who seems to know a lot about American tennis, and of course the mysterious and sarcastic “Staff”. Not to mention the funk and trunk etc.

While they don’t seem to “moderate” excessively from what I can tell, that’s not always a bad thing. Although it can result in some inflamed moments. But such is life. And tennis.

November 8th, 2010 at 10:33 pm

My take on TT is that it was once a predominantly Fed site The writers are all pro-Fed. It’s true contador, whether you think so or not. However, it has now become a predominantly Nadal site with a handful of Djokovic fans, and a couple of Murray fans. The writers are desperately trying to be fair, but they are vocal as to which player they favour. I post there infrequently, as I’m the only Roddick fan there also, and it’s a similar situation to this site, which makes me odd-man-out, except that on this site, I’ve made some friends here, which makes it more appealing for me to post here.

The present problem began a week to 10 days ago, when MAD-max, in her infinite wisdom proffered a very long list enumerating what she perceived to be, Nadal’s many idiosyncrasies and supposed treachery, et al., he uses to win matches, which antagonized the Nadal fans who post on this site, and then all hell broke loose. The situation is now fast becoming one of a tit for tat scenario, and it appears as though World War III will erupt at any time.

It’s sad to me to see that Tennis.x is being manipulated and ruled by such a group, with an unbalanced leader, and I can’t fathom the powers that be’s indifference to what is transpiring. The site has lost some very intelligent posters, and I miss them terribly, as the quality of their posts led to many thought-provoking discussions, and we now have what appears to be a “you scratch my back, and I’ll scratch yours scenario. End of.

November 8th, 2010 at 10:58 pm

I must have missed the inciting nadal post, not very happy Steve o or Paul posts above. Not as bad as zinaldo or rafa is weak though.

Never really see real conversations or people watching and commenting matches on tennis talk. Maybe i just don’t do ot right or read the right threads there. I guess it like Facebook and twitter, I am a face booker. Do not understand and cannot get into Twitter. Tennis x feels comfortable, even with sillly comments from all sides.

November 8th, 2010 at 11:31 pm

tsonga, monfils, haas,nalbandian, gasquet, hewitt…top players who are always getting injured and skipping,pulling out of tournaments. none of these players are called fakers. why? because none of these players knocked federer from his pedestal. pretty simple.

November 8th, 2010 at 11:35 pm

kimberly

i’m sorry.

i can see where this would get overwhelming. the thing is i still cant defend fedend.

yet as jane says, i am not for a lot of moderating. i think people should moderate themselves. i took myself off posting after my wimbledon 09 ….er tirade. and try to edit myself

i think it’s great that we could chat tennisxfans this morning about the giraldo-debakker match. almost like i have someone to watcb tennis with …..thanks for that.

as for rafa. i sincerely hope he does what is best for his body to extend his career.

and i am still a gulbis fan so going to bed to try and be awake at i think 4 am for his match!! good luck with all picks for bracket challengers!!

November 8th, 2010 at 11:48 pm

Good luck to Ernie!

November 8th, 2010 at 11:53 pm

kimberly, conty, thanx for making me laugh at 6am UK time, so nice…:)
conty, u r quite wrong re my take on Rog/Raf, but if I tell u I’ve never been thrown out of anywhere and spend my working life with damaged, potentially dangerous people, u probably know where I’m coming from, so busy trying to see all sides of everything, my head is like a spinning top…..
Having probs with challenge, joined tennisx and murray, posted comments, saw my name on list, but next time I looked I’d gone :( There u go, thrown out of challenge :(

November 9th, 2010 at 1:31 am

contador,

Since you addressed me directly, I will respond in kind. Yes, you used to post at tennistalk under the screen name “zoey”. You and I got into a discussion and the next time I came back to check out the blog, your post was deleted and Ricky admonished you and said that if you wanted to make personal comments, then you should e-mail me, otherwise restrict your comments to tennis.

Fortunately for me, Ricky was quick enough to delete the post and I didn’t have to read it. I know enough about the moderation on that site to know that if Ricky has to jump in himself, delete a post quickly and make a specific warning to the poster, then it must have been bad.

I also never said that you were banned. I dislike anyone putting words in my mouth and/or distorting what I say here. You stopped posting pretty much after that incident. So you came here where you had safety in numbers. You were outnumbered on tennistalk and also weren’t going to be allowed to make profane or abusive comments, so much better to go here where Rafa fans have been vilified forever.

As far as Cheryl Murray and Ricky Dimon, in no way could they be described as pro-Rafa and anti-Fed and it’s grossly insulting to them to state as much. If you look at their archived blogs and read what they actually have said, then you would have to realize that they appreciate both Fed and Rafa. I remember Ricky causing quite a stir during the USO when he said that no way would Rafa win. That got the Rafa fans all stirred up! It doesn’t sound like a pro-Rafa, anti-Fed fan to me. He initially picked Fed to win the USO! Surprise! You are totally misstating what goes on at this site. Who is the one who can’t let go? If you don’t care about something or some place, then you don’t bother to talk about it. However, you have made a number of posts in recent days trashing tennistalk over and over again. Why? Don’t pretend you don’t care.

Now you are having a hissy fit over Fedend and in a huff, said you were going to leave this site. Please! You are breaking my heart! Not too long after you left tennistalk, I came here and posted a comment and someone attacked me using both the screen name here and my screen name on tennistalk. This person was cowardly enough to hide under the screen name of “Tennistalk”! How convenient! I don’t have any proof that it was you, but it was quite inflammatory. I found myself wondering if you were finally able to post what you wanted to say on tennistalk.

I didn’t come here to renew old grudges. It’s plain for all to see that I haven’t addressed you directly, haven’t engaged in any attacks on you whatsoever. You don’t like what Fedend is doing, yet it’s the exact same thing that Rafa fans have been subjected to all the time on this site. You don’t like it, do you? Guess what! Neither do we.

November 9th, 2010 at 4:42 am

Von

I don’t think things are any worse on this site than anywhere else. In particular, the Federer/Nadal tribalism we see here is actually quite normal, in that it reflects what goes on in the world. Some people, of course, can have very sharp tongues – you can, I can, Mindy can, and there are others. On the other hand, Kimberly, Contador, madmax, just don’t – they are partisan, sure, but they are transparently pleasant people. I just don’t see any conspiracy. Who is scratching whose back? I have seen you complimented often enough and you responding with pleasure (as I lay wriggling on the floor….) and why not? That’s normal, we’ve got to accept a bit of argy-bargy, even a bit of apparent ganging up (in moderation) because that’s the way our society is, just read any blog or magazine etc. Try and stop it altogether, and everyone will just piss off out of sheer boredom. Let it get out of hand, and people may vote with their feet – so a balance has to be struck. But consider the opposing posts of Steve-o and guy on this thread – both forthright and acceptable (imo). Something is being aired which should be aired, because there are undoubtedly certain questions in peoples’ minds concerning the issue under discussion, and the likelihood is that offence is going to be given on both sides. How can you avoid this? Only with hypocrisy, I suggest. Whoever said democracy was nice? He was a fool. It’s hell – but it’s better than any conceivable alternative. Incidentally, I suggested on the other thread (sorry for repeating, but it’s relevant here)that some of those posters you miss may simply be busy. Why assume they have been driven away? And in any case, one or two of them were no mean polemicists themselves. But I miss posters – Noel, Tejuz, Agassi fan, Tony (who got up jane’s wick, but I found him oddly endearing), there was a Rafafan and Sampras fan going way back when whose names escape me but I thought were fun, and I’d like to see ’em again. But life moves on. I’d like to see my sister again. But she’s dead. That’s how it goes.

Not easy to be a conscientious moderator, I imagine,treading deftly amongst all these competing, oh so sensitive egos (Oh, yes, mine amongst them). The point is, who is this “unbalanced leader” you mention, and who is doing the “manipulating”? You will note that I belong to the cock-up theory of history. The conspiracy theory I have never found convincing. Look, I’m not being arrogant – at least not here, although you could certainly argue that I am arrogant just by posting so much. Of course I may be wrong, but I do think your accusations are quite serious and deserve an answer.

contador – when the hell are Dimitrov and Ram going to strut their stuff? I keep looking, and it’s always “tonight” or “tomorrow” or some equally irritating evasion.

November 9th, 2010 at 8:03 am

Well Nadal has got his schedule perfect this year and he’s very right when he says to stay on top, you can’t play less really, skip a tournament or two at the most. Good decision to skip Paris so he will be fresh for the ATP WTF. Somehow I feel now that Federer and Nadal will regain the top spot every alternate years. 2011 is again going to be Federer’s year of being back to No.1.

November 9th, 2010 at 9:03 am

Why is the volume so low even at full volume? Professionals can’t do interviews correctly these days.

November 9th, 2010 at 9:07 am

Btw by professionals, I mean the ATP interviewers not Rafa.

November 9th, 2010 at 9:09 am

“Try and stop it altogether, and everyone will just piss off out of sheer boredom.”

Laughing at this comment.

I’ve always gotten along with the majority of Fed fans here although comments like Steve-o and Paul make my blood boil. But no one is holding a gun to my head and forcing me to read them, I am here by my own volition. All I can do is try to respond in kind that I think it is BS!!!!!

Furhtermore, if someone decided to attack me directly, which has happened although not often, it is my choice whether to read it. But one thing I cna promise, I am not going to lose sleep over what someone I don’t know thinks of me and furthermore over what some civilian thinks of Rafael Nadal. As a real estate agent in Miami I can lose sleep over what they 100s of people I do know think and its not all pretty.

November 9th, 2010 at 9:21 am

TT sucks. Plain and simple. The posts here about it being a fair site are not true IMO. Moderation? Yeah, it’s here. Seen it !!

Re: Tennis x, yes, there are more Fed fans here than on TT. So? There are also Murray, Novak, Verdasco, etc. fans on this site.

I come here for tennis news and happenings, and there is plenty of it. When I google tennis news “Tennis X” always comes up. This place has more comments on there blogs than any other? Why? It’s the best the only, the dysfunctional. LMAO when I see posters comment that tennis x is this or that. Your posting. Your reading. WTF? Go TennisX .

November 9th, 2010 at 10:32 am

BTw, Try typing on an iPhone with a 4 5/8″ grip. Not happening…..

November 9th, 2010 at 10:59 am

Naydal, you need professional help .

November 9th, 2010 at 11:26 am

Yes – he/she/it needs some copies of the Enquirer, Globe, and other tabloids to stimulate such a high level intellect – however – the screen-name is no joke as there was a period of time when the ATP website did erroneously have the phonetic pronunciation of Nadal’s name as “Nay-dahl” and certain commentators such as Chris Fowler were using this pronunciation.

November 9th, 2010 at 11:42 am

I think this site is much better than some other sites. We have our fanitics (of all kinds – not just Federer fans). Yet, there are posters here who I admire and respect, based on what they post since I have never met any of them.

I remember when I first came on board, Von and I got off to a rocky start. But I have come to admire her and see that she’s a Roddick fan through and through, win or lose. So I think (at least I know I have) buried the hatch and now Von and I get along pretty well.

Others are Jane. I admire her post even though I don’t really like her favorites. lol! But that is what makes this site interesting. We all have our favorites but most of us don’t put down the other players either.

I love my fellow Federer fans here on this site, but I also think they are fair as well. Then you do have some ‘trolls’…the ones who take their dislike of players to the point that they even talk about their precious babies! But those fans are far in between and definitely in the minority here on the site.

I’m going to put a plug in…if you want to add another site to your tennis search, I am a Mod (under the name of Dallas) here: http://www.tennis4you.com/forum/
You can post all about your favorite players in their own player forum. I think I single-handedly keeps Roger’s player file going! lol! So if you want to just add another site to your tennis search, we welcome all of you there as well.

November 9th, 2010 at 12:08 pm

dr: ah you have been chucked out of pubs..I remember a few weeks ago, u and superman came to virtual fisticuffs. I thought this was hilarious and u were taking the p**s, but…perhaps not after all….?
btw lets hear it for anglo-saxon, October was “Blotmanoth” the month when animals were killed for food. How wonderful is that? And April “Trimilci”!
jane, kimmi: this sticks in the throat but “Mail on line” has a really nice interview with Andy and a gr8 pic of team Anjam. Apparently he was “welling up” so pleased for Jamie, first time since AO. Also get a feeling of how lonely the sport is.
Now skeeze, when I said there was a pic of Gimmelstop on TT, u told me u never went there. So how come u know it “sucks.” And yes, I am wearing my Libra hat, but there are brilliant folk and nerdy ones on every forum everywhere.

November 9th, 2010 at 12:27 pm

Fot

Tx will ck it out :)

November 9th, 2010 at 12:28 pm

Margot ,

Only cause u told me to ck it out :). Otherwise, naddah.

November 9th, 2010 at 12:31 pm

So skeeze…..?

November 9th, 2010 at 12:38 pm

FOLt: Thanks for your kind words. Hey, I’m thinking, or have been thinking for a while now about moving to Dallas. My brother lives there. Maybe someday we’ll see each other and have tea/coffee.

November 9th, 2010 at 12:59 pm

FOt: please excuse my butchering of you post name. I’m going through a phase of having problems typing, sorry.

November 9th, 2010 at 1:07 pm

Margot,

After thinking ( yes , sometimes I think first, then post, but not mostly )you could be posting at TT, therefore one could conclude that you suck also, since you may be posting. This is something if true I could never forgive myself. So therefore, TT is lovely, which in turn makes you lovely also :-)

November 9th, 2010 at 1:09 pm

skeeze: u do make me laugh….ta :)
von: God forbid that we should get saccharin, but I too respect your posts and your obvious knowledge of the beautiful game.

November 9th, 2010 at 1:16 pm

margot: thanks for the props. The feeling is mutual — I too, appreciate your fair posts and knowledge of the sport, not to mention AM.

November 9th, 2010 at 1:32 pm

“TT sucks. Plain and simple. The posts here about it being a fair site are not true IMO.”

It is a very fair site.

“Moderation? Yeah, it’s here. Seen it !!”

Selective.

November 9th, 2010 at 1:37 pm

“No player in recent history has faced the ores sure to perform he will as the favorite on every single surface.”

“No player”? Um…perhaps you’ve heard of this Swiss fellow? Great serve and forehand, one-handed backhand, he’s got a lovely wife and twin girls…

Nadal’s only tasting a fraction of the pressure that Federer faced for over four years.

He always insists on going in as the underdog, even at the French Open where he’s been defeated exactly once in six years. But he earned the top spot and won every major once; that means he’s earned all the scrutiny and expectations and media intrusiveness that come with that exalted position, even if he doesn’t like it.

It’s not fair to the other players to say “I want to win everything and be at the top and I want all the goodies that go with it. But I also want all the burden of expectations and the unpleasant things that go with it to be on someone else.”

As Billie Jean King said, “Pressure is a privilege.” Most of the greatest champions have accepted the burdens and responsibilities of being at the top as the price they pay for success; Federer, Sampras, Serena Williams, Borg, Graf, to name a few.

But Nadal must be the first champion to insist on being at the very top without having to pay that price.

No player gets to dictate the standards by which his own performance will be judged, the world would laugh at such an absurdity. Except for Rafael Nadal.

There are just so many huge contradictions we’re asked to accept about Nadal. If he wins he’s the toughest player ever, a machine who can run his opponents for hours without relenting; if he loses he’s the most physically fragile and it’s a wonder he can even step on court.

He’s praised for not being a natural and relying on sheer grit and hard work over talent yet it’s insisted that he’s a better shotmaker and an even more imaginative player than anyone ever.

His supporters deem him the “new GOAT” and then insist that the Swiss fellow is the one who should be held to the high expectations that go with that label.

So many times we’re told to believe one thing about Nadal, and then to instantly turn around and believe the very opposite, that I’m getting whiplash. People always wanting to have it both ways. You can either have your cake, or you can eat it, but not both.

If his injuries are so light that he can begin practicing in six days, then he really can’t be that injured. And if he is really injured, how can he predict so easily when he’ll be back? Six days before he can start practicing?

November 9th, 2010 at 2:12 pm

@steve-o:

impressive. Completly agree.

November 9th, 2010 at 2:20 pm

Tiresome, and yes one can understand why someone would resort to using the word “Fedtard” to describe some of the moronic comments made here. Confronted with the reality that their hero’s legacy is in serious jeopardy they go for character assassination since they can’t bear to discuss tennis and the fact that Nadal OWNS their idol out on the court. Unwilling to discuss tennis, they try to compare the two players as if they were running for government office or a member of the clergy.

November 9th, 2010 at 2:34 pm

Don’t forget “Troll” Spock

November 9th, 2010 at 2:44 pm

Steve-o, I disagree. Federer was NOT the favorite on every single surface every match he played during his period of dominance. I would wager if you look at the Vegas odds he was NOT the favorite for Roland Garros 2005-2010, nor any clay court tournament Rafa contested. Even before that I imagine Coria (sp?) would have been favored to Federer on clay. Rafa’s odds have generally been under even with him as a crushing favorite on every clay court tournament he contests.

Now if you check bet 360 or any bookmaker Rafa is the favorite at every single grand slam. So yes, this is an enormous amount of pressure that no recent player has faced, as previously stated.

November 9th, 2010 at 2:45 pm

Some of you guys need to get a life! This is not that serious! Just enjoy the tennis whenever the players get on the court!

November 9th, 2010 at 2:51 pm

Skeezerweezer,

I have no desire to see anybody as a troll.
I asked you before if it was not unreasonable for someone to deduce that your comments were not troll like here:

http://www.tennis-x.com/xblog/2010-10-18/5548.php#comment-172940

to which you seem to be oblivious. Put yourself-self in my shoes – if I am wrong about your intentions I apologize…again…a troll is just a pattern on a screen…it’s nothing personal.

November 9th, 2010 at 2:52 pm

To Steve-O

Thank you for the two best Nadal truth posts I have ever read. You have completely pulled the curtain back on his handy contradictions.

This is why Federer will always be greater he never denied the burden of the world’s best like Nadal.

BRAVO!!

November 9th, 2010 at 2:55 pm

I don’t agree with anything you said about me and “troll”, as others on this site have a definition other than the one you dug up on a “urban wiki” That is someone who drops a ridiculous attack on a fav who has not posted here regularly and then cops out no where to be seen. I don’t go anywhere. Those post you referred to is your words, not mine, and it’s “tiresome” not to talk tennis but must talk Fedtards and trolls, lets go back to “patterns” and “genetic nuclear mutants” if we must.

November 9th, 2010 at 3:03 pm

Von, keep me posted on your possible move to Dallas!

Anyone watching this Monfils match? He was down 5-1 to Becker in the first set and came back to win it in a tiebreak. But Monfils makes me sick sometimes. They say he’s one of the best athletes in the sport, but he’s always sliding, jumping, falling, diving, and that’s why he gets hurt all the time and have to play with both knees wrapped.

November 9th, 2010 at 3:10 pm

Fully agree, steve-o.

I don’t see any problems with Rafa’s decision to withdraw from Paris. Pretty sure that there IS something bothering Rafa right now, and as he’s most possibly bound on doing well at the WTF this year (something he’s never even managed to come close to doing), it’s very understandable that he doesn’t want to blow his chances by taking the risk of having his current minor-but-apparent shoulder problem become a very serious one.
There’s nothing wrong with that – players DO pull out of tournaments because of that (sensible) reason, it’s surely not only Nadal who does so.

Another thing is the complete idiocy of certain fans exaggerating each and every one of Rafa’s quibbles whenever they happen. Note that the guy himself already said that it’s a minor problem which should be dealt with within a weak or so – but yet, I’ve already seen the “Nadal is questionable for the WTF”-statements popping up. How about listening to what the guy HIMSELF says about this matter for a change, in stead of cooking up yet another ‘career threatning’ excuse-itis?

November 9th, 2010 at 3:20 pm

OK Skeezerweezer,

To your credit, you take the accusation of being a troll very seriously…I will try to stick to “genetic nuclear mutants” (an apparent reference to the trouble with tribbles?) – one more thing though – please don’t confuse Wikipedia with Urban Dictionary – very different schools of thought (and agendas) between those two.

November 9th, 2010 at 3:40 pm

Mindy Says:
I honestly wish that people would stop bringing up tennistalk, especially in this continuous negative way by comparing it to this site and findind it somehow inferior.

It’s interesting that it comes from people who used to post on the site, but bumped up against the more strict moderating that tennistalk employs to rid it of the abusive, profane and repulsive comments that have no business on a tennis forum.

There are people who post on both sites and it’s insulting to those who wish to participate on tennistalk to keep going on with this ridiculous propaganda about how inferior or biased or skewed that forum may be.

Mindy, people dont want to hear your rantings. When is it going to stop?

Von Says:

The present problem began a week to 10 days ago, when MAD-max, in her infinite wisdom proffered a very long list enumerating what she perceived to be, Nadal’s many idiosyncrasies and supposed treachery, et al., he uses to win matches, which antagonized the Nadal fans who post on this site, and then all hell broke loose.

d’uh?

You want to get your facts right von. You want to state who it was that was calling federer names and stop blaming others all the time. It’s so childish.

Von can you stop bringing my name into everything please. I dont even know what you are talking about. How about castigating the nadal fans who frequently call federer endless amount of names, fedend, federror, fedup (and you know who they are, yet conveniently you dont mention them – why?). Just stop doing this. Why do you feel the need to bring my name up on every occasion, do you really think that people aren’t bored by this?

Have you actually seen the posts you post von, when people disagree with you, you go absolutely ballistic – it’s actually quite scary – they are not the words of a reasonable person. You take no responsibility for your actions.

I am actually getting quite fed up with the both of you, sorry, you are the same person, keep bringing up my name when it is NOT warranted.

Mindy, YOU are the one who visits both TT and TX and keeps preaching to others about the whys and the why nots of sticking to one site, yet you frequently visit both.

Von, why is it that you have an inate need, ney urge to start something that doesn’t even exist? You bring my name up into every discussion. I am asking you to stop it and find some other person to latch onto. You have always been an aggressive person here and most of that aggression is aimed at me. I don’t attack, you instigate it and what do you expect me to do? to remain silent – I did for a while, but then you kept going on and on. Take some responsibility von and mindy, don’t blame contador – she is an honest person – and why shouldn’t she be honest? Her strengths lie in the fact that she actually knows something about tennis and then anything the both of you, disagree with, you come on with a hammer in your hand – it’s so tiresome. It really is.

People are fed up with your backlashes all the time- making up stories- you never take responsibility for your actions, always blaming others who disagree with you.

so what von if you are in the minority about roddick? I have never disliked roddick. I once referred to him as a ‘bronx street fighter’ which was a compliment – you took it as a slur on his tennis ability and reputation – it was absolutely nothing of the sort. The guy fights and fights his opponent, hence the similarity yet you didn’t get it. Enough is enough von. Leave it and accept that you are actually a bad tempered woman.

Secondly, I’m not perfect and I know that. But I don’t attack posters the way that you do. Why don’t you look in your own back yard and see the way that you post to others when you disagree with something. You just lose it completely. You can only have a sensible discussion with you if a poster agrees with you, then you are sweetness and light. You love saying ‘I told you so’. You can never accept responsiblity for your own actions, always blaming others for this or that. Just stop it von. You are far, far from perfect.

I’m ‘MAD’DENINGLY lovely I’ll have you know. Not mad at all. When I see your name, you spoil the tennis experience for me because you just make up lies all the time – it’s ridiculous really.

Jane,

regarding Ben, yes, in the ‘good old days’ when Ben needed us to proof read his articles, do you remember? He has got above himself now, don’t you think? :)

November 9th, 2010 at 3:58 pm

I apologise to everyone for the long post – but I have just had enough of the ongoing slaughter which bears no resemblence to the person I am.

Federer is federer, nadal is nadal, acceptance is acceptance, but it will never be.

This is a tennis forum, we are going to disagree, the beauty of debate which goes awry when certain people want to pick a fight each and every time – it really is a big yawn.

November 9th, 2010 at 4:07 pm

Fot, thanks for kindness. I always like your posts too; they are usually straightforward and upbeat. I’ll check out the link!

Lots of good posters around here, many of us who’ve been around for a while. To add to the list of MIAs, SG is a good poster who only shows up once in a blue moon these days. Love Tejuz too. Voicemale1 had a tough year, with his dad passing, so maybe that’s why he’s not been around loads. MMT pops in now and then with loads of knowledge, but as dr says, people move on, change names, mellow out, etc, Some of hang out. Newbies have shown up, many great ones, imo.

margot & d.r. are perfect contrasts in writing styles, and yet both so erudite and interesting.

I choose to keep my time here light and fun for the most part (a personal thing, not unrelated to blood pressure, lol,) but I enjoy hearing all the different views, reading the debates, discussions etc, between people like mem, guy, skeezer, steve-o, Vulcan, etc. It’s a great forum imo.

Only one tennis thing I’ve heard about enough of: the dreaded GOAT debate. A discussion that never seems to go anywhere but in spirals and apoplectic fits. However, I can see why some people like to debate it, but it is interminable.

November 9th, 2010 at 4:44 pm

madmax, had forgotten about that time with Ben, but I remember the article was about the Safin versus Fed match. Speaking of, I’ve been meaning to read his Ferrer article.

November 9th, 2010 at 4:57 pm

“I choose to keep my time here light and fun for the most part (a personal thing, not unrelated to blood pressure, lol,) but I enjoy hearing all the different views, reading the debates, discussions etc, between people like mem, guy, skeezer, steve-o, Vulcan, etc. It’s a great forum imo.”

I’m glad to see you’ve done a 360 degree turnaround and are now oh so perfect. LOL.

November 9th, 2010 at 6:53 pm

Vulcan,

Sorry I did not answer earlier, I got pulled into “shoe shopping”, ugh…..my favorite pastime with the lady of my life.

Sorry to get “sharp” but the name calling is my issue, not yours, and I will defend the name calling stuff. Not only did you try not to imply, but you then went on to write a paragraph about it. Your imo, fine, I can take it. But don’t get offended if I dish it out, and I will.

For paid professional athletes, hey, were fans, they are open game to me. Call them what you will imo.

Your a great poster, most of time imo bring cool insight to the discussion, and I would like to think with your intelligence you don’t have to bring in schoolyard stuff like some of us. Just sayin….it could be a compliment I ‘m givin ya.

hugs

out

November 9th, 2010 at 7:37 pm

jane
SG is an excellent poster, who knows how to keep it short and say a lot. You can probably guess why I’m in awe of that. I didn’t know Voicemale1 had lost his dad; there wasn’t too much love lost between us, but all that’s nonsense in the end. I sometimes think: if you were to meet the people you tend to agree with on this site and also those you fight with, and you spent half an hour with all of them on the strict provision that you didn’t discuss tennis with them (so you couldn’t easily guess their identities) – who would you like, and wouldn’t you? Might be some surprises. b.t.w. I appreciate your kind words, but I have never pretended to be erudite, I am a magpie, a dilettante, and this can provoke undeserved admiration but also unjustified contempt from those who suss what’s going on. So many strange things can happen in life which can get in the way of your doing what you might have preferred to do. Incidentally, you don’t, naturally enough, give kudos to yourself. I always remember when you first came on, instantly chatting with obvious interest and a freshness which suggested youth and it was with someone called cv or something (if it was him, he’s got cancer now b.t.w.),it was like you were born to it, like you’d lived here all your life. I was intrigued, and just a wee bit irritated too, as if you hadn’t paid your dues yet and had no right to feel so at home. That’s insecurity for you. I was quite surprised when you coyly conceded that you had been around (on planet earth) at any rate in Mac’s time, but you weren’t prepared to elaborate further. Of course, Tennisx is unimaginable without you.

margot – sorry, I have no idea what you’re on about re the Anglo-Saxon. I don’t actually know any, you know! I can only insist: The Seafarer, as translated by Ezra Pound, is one of the glories of the English language. To see just how good it is, try reading Michael Alexander’s translation of same (The Earliest English Poems, Penguin Classics – dunno if still in print). It’s worthy and interesting, but doesn’t begin to stand comparison with Pound’s great poem. Alexander himself, to do him justice, dedicates his book to Pound – I find it quite moving when a great scholar defers to a frankly damn suspect scholar like Pound who just happened to have genius. Incidentally, obviously there are fine passages in Beowulf – what wouldn’t one give to have seen Pound having a crack at them – it’s just that it goes on and on intolerably from my point of view.
re the Superman incident – yes, I lost it there. I am surprised you didn’t get that.

November 9th, 2010 at 7:45 pm

d.r.

I am glad you came back ( ala Gandalf ), never could get behind imagining you as grendel, and your play on your poster name now is much more creative and witty…..now if we could only talk to Fedend about that poster name………:)

November 9th, 2010 at 8:04 pm

madmax,

You are never more embarrassing than when you presume to lecture others about bouncing back and forth from one site to another. You are not fooling those of us who are all too familiar with your tactics of using phony screen names and then trying to hide your writing style with poorly disguised broken english. It never works because your attacks are always the same. You are instantly identifiable to those who have felt your wrath all too often and know you too well.

Have you decided to campaign for moderator of this site now? Why don’t you come up with madmax’s do’s and don’t’s, a book of rules so that both new and regular bloggers on this site will understand the code of conduct to which they must adhere.

Since when do you speak for everyone else here? Did it ever occur to you that many have become tired of your baiting, inciting and inflaming rants and your penchant for telling people to get off this site? You seem to think that this is your personal site, on which you can make presumptuous judgments as to who may stay and who has to go, who will be accepted and who must be harassed and character assassinated.

The “ongoing slaughter” to which you refer, has come from none other than yourself. Your attacks on others who dare to have a different opinion, who dare to think for themselves, who dare to think that they might have the right to speak, are petty tyranny of the highest order.

In closing, I have only this to say – and I learned it from you – *yawn*, *boring*!

Cheers!

November 9th, 2010 at 8:20 pm

d.r., we’ve had our differences, but things change, and I’m glad for it. imo, that’s what life’s made of: change. (Some things stay the same. we’re still at TX blathering; Fed’s still at the top, and Rafa too, etc.) I don’t remember the moniker “cv” too well, but I am sad to hear that news. I do remember a wise and funny poster named “Dr. Death” (who I thought of recently because of your name change and its short form) who he became ill. I hope he is out there, somewhere, traveling, and well. It’s weird to whom we get attached and how that might be utterly different in real life. But there’s something cool about writing & connection. BTW, besides the diehards and MIAs, a shout out belongs to those posters who breeze in and breeze out: Twocents immediately comes to mind. I always smile when I see his moniker and am usually still smiling after I’ve read his post.

November 9th, 2010 at 8:29 pm

Is everyone here excited for tomorrows matches? I certainly am. But I miss my boy. Hopefully will see him in London. Miss the sound of his grunt, his shorts tugs, his madal snarl, fist pumps, fabulous dynamic play, spark, lethal forhand and of course, his wonderful rear end.

November 9th, 2010 at 9:17 pm

Dysfunctional blogging at it’s best. When we start talking tennis again call me at 1-900-talk-tennis

November 9th, 2010 at 9:52 pm

Kimberly,

Great line up tomorrow, can hardly wait. Wish Rafa was in also.

November 9th, 2010 at 9:54 pm

lol, skeezer. Kimberly can’t wait but nervous too. Nole and Murray better win. :)

November 9th, 2010 at 11:01 pm

Mutual admiration society!!

November 9th, 2010 at 11:25 pm

Jane,

Your sitting very pretty with your picks on the challenge so far. Your a natural :)

November 10th, 2010 at 12:18 am

dr:”You cannot be serious.” Just 2 silly.
skeeze: “shoe shopping ug!” indeedy ;)
kimberly: lordy, lordy, it’s breakfast time here in the UK ;)
Fingers crossed for Andy, if his serve is good he wins :), if not alas we all know what happens :(
Thought Gulubev was going to take the lovely Gilles, played fantastic tennis first set, then suddenly in a flash, all is lost. Lots of potential though.

November 10th, 2010 at 1:29 am

skeeze, it’s shocking, but doubt it’ll last as the matches progress tomorrow. It’s fun taking a shot – “nothing to lose” precisely my kind of gambling.

November 10th, 2010 at 2:04 am

margot: wot’s just 2 silly? sorry, not a mind reader.

November 10th, 2010 at 7:18 am

Oh, on reflection, I suppose you must be referring to the Superman stuff – I thought at first you must have had the Anglo-Saxon stuff in mind,didn’t make sense, not without elucidation.
Well, yes, I suppose “losing it” is always silly in a way. I guess it was my first experience of repeatedly being called “senile” that did it – I’ll remember in future just to laugh. Momento mori and all that.
How would you recommend that I respond to charges of being “disturbed”, “manipulative”,”backscratching” and so on? Just laugh? Well, I’ll do my best.

November 10th, 2010 at 7:31 am

aha, Murray holds serve 1st game second set looking VERY snappy, terrific reflexes at the net. Rather sloppy final point from Nalbandian. Change of momentum in the offing?

November 10th, 2010 at 8:28 am

sorry for above. somehow, wrong thread by mistake.

November 10th, 2010 at 8:30 am

Nadal is well known as the most scrupulously fair and honest person in sport. He has no “side” and sees no reason not to “tell it like it is”. If his doctor says his shoulder is somewhat injured then it’s obvious hammering serves and forehands right now will make it worse. I was only recently wondering how long it would be before his left arm/shoulder would feel the colossal strain he puts them under, I’m just amazed it’s taken so long to happen. Anyone knows that if you rest a minor injury it prevents it getting worse, it’s only commonsense. Anyone also should know that anything can happen between when you’re speaking and a week’s time. QED.

November 10th, 2010 at 5:54 pm

Skeezerweezer Says:

it could be a compliment I ‘m givin ya.

Read you loud and clear Skeezerweezer – so I will take it as such…I will set Defcon 5 as was the case many moons ago. :)

November 11th, 2010 at 10:28 am

Vulcan,

Lol thanks

November 11th, 2010 at 10:38 am

I hope Rafa is able to be free from his shoulder injury so he can be able to show his next tennis performance in london. Good luck Nadal. i am wating for your good action.

November 14th, 2010 at 9:24 am